The Chinese lunar calendar based on the cycles of the moon, is constructed in a different fashion from the traditional Western solar calendar.

Contrary to Western linear concept of time, the Chinese lunar calendar follows a cyclical concept of time. And the Chinese animal signs used for dating the years are of a 12 year cycle.

According to the Chinese calendar the year begins sometime in late January or early February. Although the Chinese have adopted the western calendar system for business purposes, for astrology and social occasions like the Chinese New Year, the lunar calendar is still used.

Western dating begins from the birth of Jesus Christ which is a linear perception of time from the past down to the present and on to the future. Traditional Chinese dating methods were cyclical patterned on the basis of repetition time after time.

Every year is identified with an animal name like rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Boar. According to populist folk, the cyclical method had 12 year duration or 12 animal signs with the same animal or sign re-appearing after every 12 years.

Horoscopes have developed around the animal signs much like monthly charts in the West like Pisces, Aires, and Taurus etc.

With each animal attributed with certain characteristics birth year of people falling under the particular animal sign year is analyzed accordingly.

It is easy to find out the age of a person if is animal sign is known which would fall within a cycle of 12 years.

The Chinese animal signs or 12 zodiac signs can be converted to five elements, Metal, Water, Wood, Fire and Earth.

In fact the first step to knowing a person's future and fortune according to Chinese astrology is to identify the birth element and the lucky element.

All these five elements are the key to locating a person's lucky time and place.
2008 is regarded as unpredictable being the Rat year. 2009 is regarded as the year of the Cow and the animal sign of Cow is a female.

Popular reference names it the year of the Brown Cow. Brown is equal to Earth of the five elements of Chinese tradition. According to Chinese astrology, in 2009, Earth would be the main focus and feature strongly.

There are special Chinese symbols for animal signs and elements which are different from ordinary symbols that are used in general writing.

This is very different from Western Astrology systems, so please make sure that you research this topic in more detail before you venture deeper into its mysteries.